Parameter Calibration of Pig Manure with Discrete Element Method Based on JKR Contact Model

The conversion of pig manure into organic fertilizer has become a research hotspot in agricultural engineering, and many types of pig manure processing machinery have been derived. The discrete element method (DEM) can be used in the research of pig manure processing machinery to study the interaction between pig manure and machinery, which makes the research more direct and accurate. In order to introduce the discrete element method into the research of pig manure processing machinery, a reliable parameter basis for discrete element simulation is necessary, taking the angle of repose (AoR) as the reference and based on the hertz-mindlin with JKR contact model and Plackett–Burman experiment design. Three parameters with significant influence on the AoR are screened out from nine parameters related to pig manure. By conducting Box–Behnken experiment design, the quadratic polynomial regression equation between the AoR and three significant parameters is established. According to the parameters predicted by the quadratic polynomial regression equation, the discrete element simulation of AoR is conducted. The simulation result of AoR (38.54°) is close to the experimental result (38.65°) with a relative error of 0.28%, indicating that the regression equation can predict the relevant parameters of pig manure according to the AoR.